Quality of Nauticam housings

[acuevas 4]

Does anybody know if Nauticam has plans to make a housing for the 5D MK2?

 

It's clear that they are focusing in the newest models, but there will be no replacement for the 5D MK2 for at least a couple of years.

[Cp 29]

Thank you for your post here Chris. It is good to read your response to questions and concerns.

 

This is my perspective as a potential buyer. I have been a loyal customer with Ikelite since 1970's, they have done well with me with much attention to service and affordable products. But with my 7D I'm looking for full access to all it's capability and in an ergonomic design, I'm willing to consider to spend twice to what an Ikelite sells for, but I will make that decision only after I have had the housing in my hands and play with the controls and look through the VF and then after an actual wet trial in pool or ocean.

 

Andy from H2OphotoPROS many years ago provided Sea&Sea housing trials on a local diveboat trip for my then new Canon 60D for a local UWphoto club. This is what I would like to have available again hopefully in my decision to house my 7D.

 

BTW. I'm a photographer and pictures make me much more excited than computer drawings. So for me get the real pictures of the housing, get an honest real review from a well respectable source, and a real housing to my local dealer to hold and play with this beauty .

 

Bo

Hi fotoscubo714....

 

Thanks for the feedback. I definitely hear what you are saying about seeing actual photos and being able to see the housing in person. I'm planning to support our dealers in doing some local demo days soon. Southern Cal (Catalina) is definitely in the works. I'll try to get the word out once we have dates for that.

Chris

[echeng 0]

Does anybody know if Nauticam has plans to make a housing for the 5D MK2?

 

It's clear that they are focusing in the newest models, but there will be no replacement for the 5D MK2 for at least a couple of years.

As of DEMA, there were no plans for a 5D Mark 2 housing. I hope that changes, but I would guess that it is too late to make a housing so long into a camera's life cycle.

[fotoscubo714 0]

Hi fotoscubo714....

 

Thanks for the feedback. I definitely hear what you are saying about seeing actual photos and being able to see the housing in person. I'm planning to support our dealers in doing some local demo days soon. Southern Cal (Catalina) is definitely in the works. I'll try to get the word out once we have dates for that.

Chris

 

Thanks Chris!

 

May I suggest that Nauticam reps contact local photography groups (OCUPS and LAUPS here) and inquire for short meeting time to introduce the actual housing and then follow up with a local boat trip for those interested? Maybe even work together with a Canon rep to talk about the new advancements of the 7D?

 

No better advertising than word of mouth (via website, wetpixel, tweeter, facebook, etc... )

To have the housing in people's hands will probably do all the selling you need with the design advancements you made.

 

BTW. With a vacuum check system you don't even have to worry about the latches being opened underwater by somebody curious.... .

 

 

Bo

Edited January 16, 2010 by fotoscubo714

[laz217 0]

Is the Subal port adapter for type 3 or 4 ports?

[bkkchriss4 0]

Happy owner of a Nauticam D90 which just took a trial run today for three dives to Catalina. REALLY liking this housing, the other photogs on the boat were amazed at the accessibility of all the controls and overall fit/finish of the housing. I was using the Nauticam ports/focus ring for the 105VR (wish I had had a wide angle set-up, it was beautiful out today!). Didn't really capture any photos I am proud of, was more of a trial run and first time with the 105VR, so sorry, no photos!

 

Anyone in So. Cal who wants to check it out, feel free to pm me.

[Alex_Tattersall 90]

Both are available, these guys think of everything !

 

Did I mention, I'm now the official UK distributor for Nauticam, so any UK based people are welcome to contact me. Website will be up shortly.

 

Alex

 

 

Is the Subal port adapter for type 3 or 4 ports?

[RedSeaDiver 0]

To my eye, the Nauticam image is larger and brighter with less distortion. There is less edge distortion, less purple fringing, and the Nauticam viewfinder is more tolerant of varying eye placements. The optical diameter is larger, allowing it to be used with full frame cameras.

Many thanks Ryan.

 

Chris - sounds like you had better hurry up with that 45 degree viewfinder!

[JackConnick 76]

I just spent 8 days shooting with a prototype NAD300 housing in the Socorros of the west coast of mexico. Almost all big animal, big current diving. Before the trip I did a couple of shakedown dives here in Puget Sound in cold water with the system.

 

Overall it is very rugged and well-made. My prototype had control issues that are being attended to. Weight has been reduced by .2k. I'm trading up to a D300s for the final. I'm not going to go into details, except to say Ryan and Nauticam are well on the job to smoothing out the wrinkles on an awesome line.

 

The optical viewfinder is terrific, allowed full finder viewing easily, even with a sort of one eye on the animal, one eye in the viewfinder approach.

 

I mainly shot two lenses; the Tokina 10-17FE behind a Sea & Sea Optical Dome Port and SX ring as well as a 17-70 Macro Sigma with the same set up with the addition of an RDX ring. NauticamUSA knocked out a zoom gear for the lens, which I'll be trading in for the newest HSM/OS model when it ships. I did one dive with a Nikon 60 micro and one with a 105VR, both worked great, and the manual focus for the 105VR is sweet. Port changes are fairly fast, you do need to take the camera out, but otherwise it's pretty quick. Cards & batteries can be changed without removal from it's tray.

 

I used 2 YS 110a strobes in optical D-TTL mode which seemed quite accurate within the confines of TTL. One cool thing is that you can shoot at 1/320sec TTL/FP in optical sync mode with the Nikon.

 

I am the NauticamUSA PNW dealer here in the US (and a WetPixel sponsor) and would invite all inquiries.

 

Here's a few shots - I have shot a D80 for quite a while, but just starting out on the D300, so be kind... ;-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack

[fotoscubo714 0]

I just spent 8 days shooting with a prototype NAD300 housing in the Socorros of the west coast of mexico. Almost all big animal, big current diving. Before the trip I did a couple of shakedown dives here in Puget Sound in cold water with the system.

 

 

Jack

 

Thanks for the report. It is good to read that Nauticam is sensitive to dealers input and willing to have their stuff be test-proven.

 

I much rather wait a month or two longer and have a housing that has all the obvious bugs eliminated by test reports from those experienced. I don't have to deal with them and be a happier customer. But it is good to let us know and keep us updated in the meantime.

 

I love your dolphin portrait with the few air bubbles providing clues to subject orientation. Great shot! Sigma 17-70 lens?

 

Bo

Edited January 20, 2010 by fotoscubo714

[JackConnick 76]

As far as I know, the control issues I reported are being dealt with now, in fact were already mostly dealt with. The production housings will have these integrated. I expect I'll have the production D300s housing in a week or so.

 

Dolphin was shot with the Tokina 10-17.

 

Second Manta with the Sigma 17-70.

 

Jack

[fotoscubo714 0]

As far as I know, the control issues I reported are being dealt with now, in fact were already mostly dealt with. The production housings will have these integrated. I expect I'll have the production D300s housing in a week or so.

 

Dolphin was shot with the Tokina 10-17.

 

Second Manta with the Sigma 17-70.

 

Jack

 

Nice! I have to agree with Berkley White that the Tok is the best fisheye lens ever. I hope the rumors of its discontinuation are false. Be nice to have this lens for FF though.

 

Since Nauticam housing can fit so many different brand domes, which would be the best dome for the Tok1017? Recognizing that diameter is use specific i.e. 8" for split shots.

 

Bo

[JackConnick 76]

I love the Sea & Sea Optical Dome Port, small size and crisp corners, but it is pricey as it is glass. Nauticam's white balance port is pretty cool to shoot video with.

 

Jack

[indoreef 0]

Does anyone have any input as to the quality of the Nauticam ports as compared to others? Since the housing will accept ports of several manufacturers, not only does it help out those who already own a housing to use the ports they already have, but it gives many options for someone like me who does not yet have a dSLR housing. Is there any difference in the optical quality of say the Nauticam 8.5 fisheye dome as compared to other acrylic fisheye dome ports that can also be used with this housing?

[SlipperyDick 2]

Faint....

 

My brain considered fainting for a moment, but it was interrupted by an abrupt and thorough soiling of my wetsuit.

 

Faint?............ Bring the damn vibrilator to restart my heart!..... OMG.

 

Keri, have you been able to make a good laugh about it yet

 

Once my tear ducts ran dry from days of crying myself to sleep, I was indeed able to take a step back, and laugh about how ridiculous a situation I got myself into. But no amount of laughing or crying is going to bring my beloved Nikkor 105mm AF-D back to life...

 

So housings now need child proofing? But that would mean half the adults won't be able to open it either!

 

Sad, but true! LOL

 

Finally a rational reason to explain Hugyfot´s locking system!

 

Keri, I am sorry for your camera-lens I hope you had a backup to, at least, enjoy the rest of the trip.

 

Unfortunately, I didn't have a backup with me, but Andy Shorten from Archipelago Fleet/Maluku Divers went out of his way to dig up a d90 body in Bali, and Lucas/Shannon Price kindly 'muled' it out to me in Sorong for the last leg of my trip in Raja Ampat. If I didn't have the Nauticam with me, I'm sure the quality/quantity of images that I brought home would've drastically suffered. The 180 degree viewfinder really blew me away - framing didn't involve guessing for a change, so I found myself shooting far fewer shots to get what I wanted (compared to my Ikelite rig).

 

 

indoreef - I didn't have a chance to use the Nauticam ports, but I did have one of their flat ports with me (for the Nikon 105mm lens). You can tell that Nauticam knows what they're doing from a manufacturing standpoint just from the look/feel of it (very similar to the Sea & Sea DX Macro Port 50), but can't comment on its optical qualities, since I never used it.

 

 

 

Keri

[vetdiver 8]

Hi, all -

 

How very timely, my 7D is arriving Tuesday, and I am already itching to get it into the water... I was intending to buy another Subal, as I have the ports and viewfinder already.....with almost every other brand angle I looked at, once you start adding it all up, the price difference isn't as much as my initial Subal sticker shock had me crying about... But there is certainly an undeniable difference, and everything adds up, right? After seeing the positive stuff here and hearing individually from Keri how much he liked his, I am waffling in the 11th hour... so I have a few questions - since there are quite a few Nauticam guys on this thread, your insight is really appreciated.

 

1) Did I get this right? To change ports, you have to remove the camera from the housing?

2) Can you leave the port adaptor on monumentally, then change ports as you go?

(for 1 and 2, I am basically trying to get a feel for what's going to happen if I shoot macro at dawn, w/a mid-day, then macro at night - how much pulling out the camera, changing adaptors, etc is going to be involved??)

 

3) R.e. the optical strobe sync - I shoot exclusively in manual and sometimes will use continuous mode for large/fast animals (my primary strobes are YS250's, and they are almost never set at more than 1/2 power) - I was intending to use continuous mode at times for an upcoming Bahamas shark trip - is this going to be possible with the optical system and the 7D's internal flash recycle rate? And how much faster can I expect the camera's battery to be drained compared to the electrical system I'm currently using?

 

Thanks so much - looks like this is going to be a huge success, so congrats!!

 

Allison

Edited January 29, 2010 by vetdiver

[JackConnick 76]

Hmm, it may be different on the Canon, but on my D300 this is what I found:

 

The gearing covers up the lens release. If you're using a prime lens without a focus gear, you can remove the lens. So to go from macro to w/a is easy. You can pull off the gearing from the front - if you don't have an extension ring- but I found it a lot easier just to pull the camera out. This is with an S&S Optical dome port and an SX extension ring, may be different with a Nauticam port and ring.

 

Yeah, I'm still sorting the recycle thing out on the D300s. I guess turning the flash all the way down will speed it up. For macro it's no big deal. For large animals, it slowed me down...but I wasn't thinking about it too much at the time either. Need to experiment.

 

I noticed no real battery issue, my D300 battery went all day (4 dives) and then some.

 

Jack

Edited January 29, 2010 by JackConnick

[vetdiver 8]

Thanks, Jack - I actually just noticed that the optical thing is being addressed (and has been mentioned as a potential issue w/the 7D). I shoot almost exclusively in cold water and don't want to take a chance on slow recycle times - guess I'll stick with my original plan

 

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showt...=34211&st=0

Edited January 29, 2010 by vetdiver

[Mike L 0]

Im never a big fan of changing lenses while still have it mounted in the housing. All it takes is that one drip of water still lingering in a housing control or crevice, and it falling into the camera body during those few seconds the lens is off. Is it really worth the risk at all for the extra few seconds it takes just to remove the camera body from the housing? To me its not, and I always teach our customers to take the extra step and remove the camera.

[John Bantin 101]

But we have yet to see some objective reviews. The reviews so far have been of the "Nauticam have been kind enough to lend one to me to try" type, so naturally tend to not to be looking for faults. It is also hard to always get reliable opinions when people have just bought a new housing. Some, wanting to justify their purchase, can see no faults, others see only faults, having spent so much expect everything to be right.

 

Alex

 

I'm going to quote you as a rebuttal when I get flack on Yorkshire Divers about the veracity of my kit reviews!

JB

[Cp 29]

1) Did I get this right? To change ports, you have to remove the camera from the housing?

2) Can you leave the port adaptor on monumentally, then change ports as you go?

(for 1 and 2, I am basically trying to get a feel for what's going to happen if I shoot macro at dawn, w/a mid-day, then macro at night - how much pulling out the camera, changing adaptors, etc is going to be involved??)

 

3) R.e. the optical strobe sync - I shoot exclusively in manual and sometimes will use continuous mode for large/fast animals (my primary strobes are YS250's, and they are almost never set at more than 1/2 power) - I was intending to use continuous mode at times for an upcoming Bahamas shark trip - is this going to be possible with the optical system and the 7D's internal flash recycle rate? And how much faster can I expect the camera's battery to be drained compared to the electrical system I'm currently using?

 

Hi Allison,

 

1) Yes, generally you have to remove the camera for most lens switches. I tended to do this anyway with my Subal, despite the lens release lever. With the Nauticam, its pretty easy to do though. I remember doing lens switches with my Nexus and the 70-180macro... now that was a lot of work. As Jack said, with a wide prime, i.e. no focus/zoom ring, you can reach the lens release button and change it without removing the camera. And as Mike said, maybe caution dictates that it isn't a bad idea to remove the camera anyway.

 

2) Yes, you could do that if you don't lock the adapter. One of the very cool things about the Subal adapter, though, is the locking mechanism. Pretty cool to see the Subal port on the Nauticam - and it won't rotate. No more jumping in and seeing my Subal dome at a funny angle and puckering my you-know-what while I twist it back. If I was going to shoot my Subal ports on my Nauticam, I might be tempted to get an adapter for every port and just leave them locked on.

 

3) If you shoot mostly in manual using the YS-250's, I'm thinking that electrical sync cords are the way to go. Just get the optional Nikonos 5pin bulkhead. The fiber optic connectors are still available should you want to shoot TTL with a Z-240, for example.

 

Thanks,

Chris

 

[edited: corrected typo]

Edited January 29, 2010 by Cp

[vetdiver 8]

Chris -

 

Thanks so much for the detailed answer. With all the extras, the cost difference winds up not enough for me to justify the switch. I am sticking with my original plan. I do appreciate your taking the time to address my questions!

 

As an aside, I tend not to remove my camera from the housing every time I change a lens/port - in my mind, cracking 2 O-rings is more dangerous than cracking 1...potentially risking a flood that affects the body - as well as the lens AND electronics within the housing. But that's just my opinion...

 

 

Allison

Edited January 29, 2010 by vetdiver

[Alex_Tattersall 90]

The Nauticam housings do also have optional 5 pin bulkhead. A dual sync cord and you can trigger your strobes that way too.

 

Alex

[bvanant 190]

Thanks, Jack - I actually just noticed that the optical thing is being addressed (and has been mentioned as a potential issue w/the 7D). I shoot almost exclusively in cold water and don't want to take a chance on slow recycle times - guess I'll stick with my original plan

 

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showt...=34211&st=0

Allison:

I am also shooting Subal with a 50D rigged up for optical strobes. Yesterday at Catalina it was 56 degrees or so and if I set my internal strobe to its lowest power, I could sit at the bottom and shoot the 50 D with Inon z240 strobes as fast as the 50D would shoot (until the buffer fills up) so fast shooting isn't a worry in manual mode. If you want TTL then it is a bit different but still I could shoot fast enough to track a visiting sea lion. The money question for you will undoubtedly be can the Nauticam use the Subal finder since that is the most expensive add on piece. The Nauticam can use your existing ports and strobes so that isn't an issue but you are still (2800 + 900 + 180) $620 cheaper to go with the Nauticam which might get you a new lens. The real advantage of the Nauticam for me is that it can do both electrical and optical sync (presumably concomitantly but that isn't clear) so you can run your strobes in TTL when you are shooting some of your tiny macro stuff.

 

Cheers

Bill

[vetdiver 8]

Allison:

I am also shooting Subal with a 50D rigged up for optical strobes. Yesterday at Catalina it was 56 degrees or so and if I set my internal strobe to its lowest power, I could sit at the bottom and shoot the 50 D with Inon z240 strobes as fast as the 50D would shoot (until the buffer fills up) so fast shooting isn't a worry in manual mode. If you want TTL then it is a bit different but still I could shoot fast enough to track a visiting sea lion. The money question for you will undoubtedly be can the Nauticam use the Subal finder since that is the most expensive add on piece. The Nauticam can use your existing ports and strobes so that isn't an issue but you are still (2800 + 900 + 180) $620 cheaper to go with the Nauticam which might get you a new lens. The real advantage of the Nauticam for me is that it can do both electrical and optical sync (presumably concomitantly but that isn't clear) so you can run your strobes in TTL when you are shooting some of your tiny macro stuff.

 

Cheers

Bill

 

Hi, Bill -

 

Good to hear from you! Glad to see someone else went out locally during the "giant surf/swells" over the weekend - we were out both days, shore and boat....what surf/swells??

 

Well, as you probably know, the water can be upper 40's in the spring off Point Loma, so there can be a big temp difference between San Diego and Catalina...and I am still left fearful after reference to "frustratingly slow" recycle times in cold water...that is really not something I want to find out the hard way. It is great that you have had a good experience with optics, though, especially with strobes having such a reportedly fast recycle time - that makes me a lot less dubious!! However, I still worry about draining the camera battery, and I'd like to hear firsthand about strobe triggering from a few more people who shoot a lot in cold water before I make such a major purchase assuming I'll like it. You'll notice that the response I got from many of the distributors above was that an optional sync bulkhead was available...indicating that there is a degree of uncertainty - if I'm dropping this kind of cash, I don't want that. Hey, I keep extra sync cords around, so that doesn't bother me. I also don't care about TTL - just not a big priority to me - I've never had it.

 

Finally, I do have three ports, two of which I use very regularly and often on successive dives - I'd want adaptors for all of them - this diminishes the price difference to the point where it is decidedly not worth it for me to take a chance on something so new and untested.

 

At any rate, my Subal is pre-ordered, so I am a done deal...

 

Hope to see you around v soon!! If you ever want to come down for some wrecks, let me know

 

Allison

Edited February 1, 2010 by vetdiver